It has been a privilege and a joy
to serve as your Dean. Now . . .
onto the next chapter!

MOUTH

SPR I N G 2013

our building’s stunning new art gallery—the only
one of its kind, to my knowledge, housed in a
dental school. I am so gratified that, because of
the generous donations to this gallery, beauty
permeates the experience of everyone who enters
our doors by showcasing our dental medicine
family’s extraordinary talent.
Read also about the passing of the man who set
our college in motion—Dr. Victor E. Della-Giustina.
When “Dr. Della” graced our city some 55 years
ago, he wasted no time in upgrading standards
of oral health care locally, statewide and beyond.
Among his many other contributions, his efforts
bequeathed us a gift that will serve mankind
for generations to come: our College of Dental
Medicine. I have been honored to play a role in
perpetuating that legacy.
And I am so honored to have served all of you.
I will continue to serve you, of course, and offer
my most heartfelt support and assistance in any
endeavors that will advance our mission. n

WORD OF

I have a confession to make: some
of the pages of this edition of Word of
Mouth are as much of a surprise to me
as they are to you.
I’m usually heavily involved in the
production of this magazine, but
one section in particular has been
held close to the vest by the Word of
Mouth staff. My understanding is that
some members of our College of Dental Medicine
community have shared their sentiments about my
tenure as Dean and my imminent relinquishment of
that title.
Since you and I will be reading those sentiments
at the same time, I can’t comment on them now.
But may I take this opportunity to share my
sentiments about you?
What can I say about the students, faculty, staff,
alumni and friends who have shared this priceless
decade-long journey with me? You’ve been by my
side every step of the way . . . sharing my vision for
a remarkable new facility . . . fueling my passion for
second-to-none education . . . bolstering my resolve
for an unprecedented level of research . . . rolling
up your sleeves to offer extraordinary service to
the community . . . and the list goes on and on.
Whatever I have offered you, I guarantee that
you have returned the favor tenfold through your
support, your dedication and your friendship. I am
forever in your debt.
And I will relish thumbing through the pages
of this, the final edition of Word of Mouth under
my deanship. Join me, won’t you, in reading about

Does it look neat, tidy, staid and predictable? Of course
not. Those adjectives don’t describe progress; they describe
the status quo.
Progress, on the other hand, is dynamic, fluid, bold and
energetic. The process is sometimes messy, occasionally
jolting and often surprising—yet eminently worthwhile.
For the past few months, we members of the Georgia
Regents University community have been the planners,
designers, architects and construction workers of one of the
most gleaming examples of progress in the history of higher
education: consolidating two esteemed universities and
creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Countless housekeeping decisions have characterized
this undertaking—decisions related to nomenclature,
accreditation, organization and myriad related details. This
groundwork, of course, has been vital—but the real work,
the real challenge, the real fun begins now. Now that the soil
has been cultivated, our work begins in earnest: excellence
in teaching, research and service.
I am confident that our collective investment in the future
of Georgia Regents University will be tremendous—a higherquality university for our community, a greater portfolio
of offerings for our students and added collaborative
opportunities for our faculty and staff, all built on the stellar
foundation of the universities that came together to make
this happen. In essence, by 2030, we will have a great
university. That is the power of our consolidation. That is
progress.
As representatives of the state’s sole college of dental
medicine, we need your help to tell others about this
new and dynamic research university. Please spread the
word that we are celebrating our proud and distinguished
history to pave the way for an even brighter future. We are
witnessing progress in the making. We are creating it. n

2

NEWS BItES

RECOgNItION
Seniors Jamie Kim, James maina, tyler Rathburn, Andrew Shoemaker and Ivan
Stojanov have been inducted into the new GRU Chapter of the Honor Society of Phi
Kappa Phi. Charlina hollie-Blackwood, a junior dental hygiene student, has received
the Women in Philanthropy’s 2012-13 Dr. Connie Drisko Scholarship. n

3

SPR I N G 2013

ChRIStmAS ChEER
Dr. Kevin Frazier, GRU Vice
President for Student Services
and Development, organized
a group of College of Dental
Medicine volunteers this past
December to contribute to
Operation Christmas Child,
the world’s largest children’s
Christmas program. Each
volunteer compiles a shoebox of
small, thoughtful gifts for a child
in need. Millions of shoeboxes
have been delivered to children
worldwide in the past two
decades through the program. n

MOUTH

patients served by GRU
dental students. Sponsor
contributions enabled
the raffle of a Sonicare
toothbrush, two curing
lights and many local gift
cards and certificates to
dental students. A silent
art auction with paintings
donated by senior Ben
Popple raised an additional
$250. n

ORAl SCREENINg
The Department of Oral Health and Diagnostic Sciences hosted a free oral cancer
screening April 17 in the Oral Medicine Clinic. The event, held in recognition of Oral
Cancer Awareness Month, served all members of the GRU community. n

WORD OF

WINE-tAStINg
Nearly 200 dental
students, faculty and
staff raised approximately
$2,000 for the CDM Give a
Smile organization during
a March 4 wine-tasting
at Augusta’s Crums on
Central restaurant. The
organization helps offset
expenses for needy

Students from the Colleges
of Dental Medicine and Allied
Health Sciences provided free
dental treatment to more than
100 students from Collins
Elementary School on Feb. 1
as part of the American Dental
Associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Give Kids a Smile
Day. n

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

AUGUSTA

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

GIVE KIDS A SMILE DAY

4

StuDENt VOICE
BRIAN SEllERS, ClASS OF â&#x20AC;&#x2122;15

5

MOUTH

In everything we do, we are creating experiences and memories by
which we will gauge our future accomplishments and failures. These
reference points will determine our response to stress, our feelings of
growth, and ideally our occasional comic relief as well.
The easiest way to prove this theory is to look at our education
progression. In elementary school, we were allowed nap time, snacks
and recess. The teacher would take our hand at the doorway and escort
us to the play area. As the day went on, we had lessons in the form of
song and dance. By midafternoon, we retreated to homemade cookies
and more playtime. Our biggest worry was having to share our toys.
Then we moved to middle school. No naps. No snacks. No
chaperones at the door. Next, we were shuffled along to high school,
where everything changed. We were responsible for keeping up with
our own work and reading outside of class. We wrote papers and did
algebra and calculus. We were pressured about the future.
What happened to the cookies? All we had known up to now was
nothing like this.
Even in our undergraduate studies, the changes kept coming. Now,
we were required to work on our ownâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or worse, in small groups.
Assignments had deadlines. We managed our own course loads. Did
these people not know me?
Yet nothing could possibly compare to our next adventure: dental
school. We began receiving information not from a baby spoon, but
from a fire hydrant. We left the comfort of two-a-day classes and added
a plethora of lecture and labs. Our quizzes became tests, our tests
became finals and our finals became ridiculous! Our point of reference
has changed forever. No longer do we expect cookies, songs and
dance. We have changed our requirements to silence and prayer for no
Monday tests. So where is the feel-good portion of this essay, you ask?
Well here it is: We survived. What seemed overwhelming in high
school is now seen as the glory days. Our struggle in college algebra
is a faint memory overshadowed by memories of fraternity parties and
lost loves.
Can you imagine how it will be when we move to the next stage of
life? Surely we will get that break they keep dangling in front of us. But
I fear that dream is a false hope as well. Our struggles will change from
studies to business plans, from labs to offices. But our reference point is
now higher than ever. We will not be as upset with the normal day-today struggles because we have survived the high-paced stress test of
dental school.
Someday, we will look back at this new reference point in one of two
ways: We will realize how much we can truly accomplish or long for
days that seem simpler. So embrace these new points of reference; they
are the foundations your life will be built on.
And always keep in mind: It is only bad until you have seen worse;
you are only poor until you become poorer; and most of all . . . this, too,
shall pass. n

WORD OF

Life is about
creating points
of reference.

SPR I N G 2013

this, too, Shall pass

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

Remembering ‘Dr. Della’
Co-Founder of Dental
College Dies at 94

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

AUGUSTA

Editor’s note:
This article is partially
excerpted from
The Augusta Chronicle.

DR. VICtOR E. DEllA-gIuStINA,
co-founder of the College of Dental Medicine,
died March 9 at age 94.
A native of Springfield, Mass., he fought
in World War II, earning five Battle Stars and
the Bronze Star. He then earned his dental
degree from Loyola University and moved to
Augusta in 1957 as the city’s Dental Health
Director. He was responsible for having
fluoride added to the Augusta area’s water
supply and adding mouth guards to football
players’ protective gear. “Think of all the teeth he has saved,” said Dean Connie Drisko.
But his highest priority was establishing a dental school—a goal that took on a
sense of urgency as he assessed “the deplorable dental condition of schoolchildren,”
according to Drisko. He met with the then-President of the Medical College of Georgia
(now Georgia Regents University) and legislators to push for formation of the school.
The school—the MCG School of Dentistry (now the Georgia Regents University College
of Dental Medicine)—was authorized by the University System of Georgia Board of
Regents in 1965 and funded by the Georgia Legislature in 1966.
“Without your major initial and continuing efforts, there would have been no history
to record,” founding Dean Judson C. Hickey wrote in an inscription to Della-Guistina’s
copy of a history of the school. “Thank you so much for all you have done for one school
since then.”
Known as “Dr. Della,” he served as an Associate Professor of Community Dentistry in
addition to his public health activities.
“He represents the epitome of what public health and dental health, oral health is all
about,” Drisko said. “At the same time, he was a terrific role model for both our students
and for the faculty because he was so very dedicated to public health and community
health and really set a high-bar example for both the students and the faculty when he
was associated with this school.”
He went on to serve as a legislator, pioneering the law requiring identification of
all dentures. He was a longtime volunteer at the Georgia War Veterans Nursing Home,
where the program “Dentists for Della” was created in his honor. The program provides
monthly dental cleaning to veterans.
Survivors include his wife of 67 years, Ellen, four children and several grandchildren
and great-grandchildren. n

6

F A C u lt Y B I t E S

DR. gARY E. ChIKE has joined
the faculty
as Assistant
Professor of Oral
Rehabilitation.
He worked for
several years in
private practice
and public health before joining
GRU.
DRS. KAthARINE CIARROCCA
and JAN mItChEll have been
accepted into the GRU Academy

DR. ChRIStOphER CutlER, Chair
of Periodontics,
traveled to Dubai,
U.A.E. in March
to review the
postgraduate
periodontics
residency
program at Dubai School of Dental
Medicine-Dubai Healthcare City.

DR. ZOYA B. KuRAgO has joined
the faculty as
an Associate
Professor of
Oral Health
and Diagnostic
Sciences. She
comes to GRU
from the New York University
College of Dentistry, where she
served as an Assistant Professor.

of Educators, a university-wide
organization of distinguished
educators who have demonstrated
sustained excellence in educational
activities and scholarship.
Ciarrocca, who recently received
a grant funding new equipment

Professor of Oral Health and
Diagnostic Sciences, respectively,

7

DR. mARK E. pEACOCK has joined
the faculty as
an Associate
Professor of
Periodontics. He
is a retired U.S.
Army Colonel
and previously
practiced at the Wheeler
Correctional Facility.
DR. StEVEN ROBERtS, Associate
Professor of
Endodontics,
discussed his
field of dentistry
on a March 7
segment of the
radio program,
The Voice 1550 AM.
DR. KOBI StERN, Assistant
Professor of
Periodontics,
has been elected
a Fellow of the
Pierre Fauchard
Academy. n

SPR I N G 2013

DR. RIChARD CAllAN, Chair of
General Dentistry,
has been named
a Fellow of the
American College
of Dentists.

presented a poster titled “WebBased Mobile Application to
Learn Anatomical Landmarks on a
Panoramic Radiograph” at the 63rd
Annual Meeting of the American
Association of Oral and Maxillofaical
Radiology in Savannah.

MOUTH

DR. BRIAN BERgERON has been
named Program Director of the
Advanced Education in Endodontics
Program. He is certified by the
American Board of Endodontics.

for the Georgia War Veterans
Nursing Home, is an Assistant
Professor of General Dentistry,
Oral Rehabilitation and Oral Health
and Diagnostic Sciences. Mitchell
is an Associate Professor of Oral
Rehabilitation.

WORD OF

DR. IRWIN l. (lEON) ARONSON,
a clinical faculty
member in the
Department of
Orthodontics,
has been elected
President of
the College at
Large of the International College
of Dentists, the world’s oldest and
largest dental honorary society. His
tenure began Jan. 1.

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

Consolidation Q&A
Growth Paves Way for

tOp-50
Academic health

Q:

WHy DiD GEoRGiA
HEALTH SCiEnCES UnivERSiTy
ConSoLiDATE WiTH AUGUSTA
STATE UnivERSiTy?

A:

Consolidation was based
on a recommendation in January
2012 by the University System
of Georgia Board of Regents.
Consolidation, considered a bold
and significant step in vaulting the
university to a top-50 academic
health center nationwide, became
official following approval from
the University System of Georgia
Board of Regents this past
January.

Q:

A:

AUGUSTA

www.asughsu.org or
www.gru.edu.

Center

WHAT iS THE ACCREDiTATion
STATUS of THE nEWLy
ConSoLiDATED UnivERSiTy?

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

For more information, visit

The Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools Commission
on Colleges, GRU’s accrediting
body, approved the consolidation
after reviewing a prospectus
describing the consolidated
university’s major features. GRU
submitted the prospectus to SACS
last October. The accrediting
body will make a site visit in the
fall to ensure the new university
is complying with accreditation
principles and standards. Prior
to the visit, university officials
will produce a self-study, or an
assessment of the school and its
operations.

Q:

HoW DoES THE
ConSoLiDATED UnivERSiTy’S
miSSion DiffER fRom THAT
of GEoRGiA HEALTH SCiEnCES
UnivERSiTy?

A:

The consolidated university’s
mission*, approved by the Board
of Regents in May 2012, speaks to
the institution’s enhanced stature
as one of four comprehensive
research universities in Georgia
with a full complement of
undergraduate and graduate
offerings.

Q:

HoW WiLL ConSoLiDATion
BEnEfiT THE CoLLEGE of DEnTAL
mEDiCinE?

A:

With nine colleges, nearly
10,000 students, more than 650
acres of campus, nearly 150
buildings, more than 1,000 fulltime faculty and a $1.4 billion
economic impact, every individual
segment of campus will benefit
from the institution’s vastly
increased scope and breadth. In
addition to enhanced national
and global renown, consolidation
will offer countless new benefits
in education, multidisciplinary
research, campus activities and
pipeline opportunities, to cite just
a few advantages.

Q:

WHAT UnivERSiTy nAmE WiLL
BE on STUDEnTS’ DiPLomAS?

A:

All May 2013 graduates
will receive the official Georgia
Regents University diploma.
Graduates who matriculated
to Georgia Health Sciences
University will have the option of
a commemorative diploma from
GHSU.

Q:

WiLL THE UnivERSiTy’S
HEALTH SCiEnCES AGEnDA
CHAnGE?

A:

Yes, but only for the better.
Even before consolidation, steps
were underway to significantly
increase the class size of both
the medical and dental medicine
colleges. As the state’s only
dental school, the GRU College
of Dental Medicine already trains
one in four Georgia dentists, and
the percentage will rise as the
class size grows to 100 by the
year 2016. Support for the health
sciences mission is clear through
initiatives such as construction
(the state-of-the-art College of
Dental Medicine building will
soon be supplemented with the
J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education
Commons), growth of medical
partner and satellite campuses
and Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal’s
vision of a hub-and-spoke model
for health professions, with GRU
serving as the hub. n

*Mission of Georgia Regents University: To provide leadership and excellence in teaching, discovery, clinical care and
service as a student-centered comprehensive research university and academic health center with a wide range of
programs from learning assistance through postdoctoral studies.

8

PHOTOS COURTESY SHANNON RIKARD

ARt gAllERY
WORD OF

MOUTH

SPR I N G 2013

Showcases Talent of Alumni,
Dentists Statewide

BY LaTinA EmERSon

9

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE
AUGUSTA
GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

An eight-foot wooden
carving of a ship by
Dr. Travis Smith, Assistant
Professor of General
Dentistry, won a statewide
competition.

10

AS thE StAtE’S only dental school, the College of
Dental medicine now has a new addition to its list of

DEAN CONNIE DRISKO AND gRu pRESIDENt RICARDO AZZIZ

11

MOUTH
WORD OF

“To the best of our knowledge, ours is the
only dental school nationwide to house a
large art gallery,” said Dean Connie Drisko.
More than 175 pieces of art, including
paintings, photography, wood work, blown
glass and metal sculptures, line the walls
of the dental building’s gallery, named
Transcendental: Works of Impression.
The art was donated by alumni, dentists
statewide and even GRU President Ricardo
Azziz. Some of the donated pieces are
museum quality, as well as limited editions,
artist prints and autographed copies.
“Dr. Azziz is really a gifted artist, and he
was very pleased to have donated one of
the first pieces that we had,” Drisko said.
“The seed was planted in my mind about
10 years ago when I visited Eastman Dental
Clinic’s new dental building in London.
They had been told they must set aside a
percentage of the cost of the building to
spend on art.”
Drisko and her staff, enthusiastic
participants of GRU’s nationally renowned
patient- and family-centered care
philosophy, incorporated patient feedback
into the design of the new building,
including parking, furniture and wayfinding.
“One thing they told us was they
didn’t want it to look like an institution.
They wanted it to be warm, colorful, soft,
welcoming and inviting,” Drisko said. “We
intentionally picked neutral colors so that
we could put any kind of art that we wanted
on the wall.”
They appointed a committee soliciting art
donations from Georgia dentists, alumni and
friends. The college has been collecting art
over the last 18 months.
“We were particularly interested in
dentists who were artists giving us an

SPR I N G 2013

accomplishments: an art gallery.

12

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY
AUGUSTA

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

example of their work. We have two dozen
or more pieces where the dentists were
actually the artists, some of whom have
given up dentistry and are doing their art
now,” Drisko said. “That’s not too surprising,
because dentistry is very much an art and a
science. It’s about color, shape, aesthetics and
dexterity. So people who have that eye often
also have artistic ability, either in visual arts or
performing arts.”
Other donations came from those sharing
works from their own collections.
The college hosted a reception March 1 for
the donors, with a brochure identifying the
location and artist for each piece.
“We tried to put most of the art in the
public spaces where anybody could walk
around and look at them,” Drisko said.
Drisko invites alumni and other members
of the public to visit the gallery, and she’s
always in search of new additions. n

To donate a piece, contact the
Dean’s Office at 706-721-2117

building, a chandelier in the
lobby, was created by Augusta
artist Paul Pearman. Drisko had
seen his mosaic tile work on a
friend’s fireplace and contacted
Pearman about creating a piece
for the new building. Pearman
created the 26-foot chandelier,
housed in the atrium, to
complement the overall
building design. Pearman’s
mosaic piece has received an
international award.

13

WORD OF

The first piece of art in the

MOUTH

SPR I N G 2013

or cdm_deans_office@gru.edu.

14

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY
AUGUSTA

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

A RIpplE EFFECt
ONE pIECE of artwork on display in the College of Dental Medicine is a sculpture
called “Ripples” by Dr. L. Travis Smith, Assistant Professor of General Dentistry.
The sculpture, gifted by the Dental Faculty Practice Group to Dean Connie
Drisko, includes a dragonfly and lotus perched on lily pads, all floating on a body
of water with ripples surrounding them. “Each has symbolism and meaning,”
Smith explains.
For instance, the dragonfly belongs to the family Odonata, Greek for “tooth.”
Also, “the dragonfly symbolizes change,” he said. “The association of dragonflies
with water also represents an act of going beyond what is on the surface and
looking into the deeper implications and aspects of life.”
The lotus, he notes, “is pertinent to [Dean Connie] Drisko’s tenure because
it represents rebirth
and creation. Egyptian
scholars observed
that in the nighttime
the lotus closed its
blossom and sank into
the water, and came
up with a fresh and
different appearance
the next morning.” The
lotus is also associated
with death, allowing
for resurrection—such
SPR I N G 2013

as the opportunity for
growth and new life
that emerged when the
college outgrew its old
building and created a

wrote in a brochure
accompanying his
sculpture, “you came
as a dragonfly: the
representative of
change, lit upon the
lily pads of conscious
thought, unencumbered
by the past, and led us
to this beautiful lotus
of the new College
of Dental Medicine
building. You have
touched our lives and
the lives of millions
even into the future
generations and we are
forever grateful.” n

15

Discoveries in Progress

WORD OF

“Connie,” Smith

MOUTH

new one.

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY
AUGUSTA

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

A
Decade
of
PRoGRESS

16

Colleagues Reflect, Reminisce
About Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tenure
WhEN DEAN CONNIE l. DRISKO
leaves her leadership role in July, she will
pass down a brilliantly bright torch to her
SPR I N G 2013

successor. highlights of her tenure, which
began when she became the third Dean
of the gRu College of Dental medicine in

> Helped lay groundwork and obtain funding
for J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education
Commons, which will be shared with the
Medical College of Georgia
> Oversaw construction of state-of-the-art
College of Dental Medicine clinical facility,
which opened in 2011
> Obtained collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s full accreditation twice
by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of
the American Dental Association

> Received national renown for student
diversity programs that prepare underrepresented minority and low-income
students for dental practice
> Oversaw consistently exemplary National
Board scores and retention, on-time
graduation and licensure exam pass rates
> Established Advanced Education in
General Dentistry residency program
> Opened Interdisciplinary Center for
Esthetic and Implant Dentistry
> Established Center for Clinical and
Translational Research
> Opened art gallery, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Transcendental: Works
of Impression,â&#x20AC;? in College of Dental Medicine
clinical facility
> Expanded global outreach to China, Peru,
France, Italy and Africa
> Extended student rotations and patient
care regional outreach to 34 sites in 15
Georgia counties
> Increased average annual faculty and
student research by 40-plus percent
CAREER mIlEStONES
> Sixteen-year career as dental hygienist
before earning dental degree

AUGUSTA

> 1980 graduate,
University of MissouriKansas City School of
Dentistry

Clinical Dental Hygiene Instructor, Tyler Junior College and University of Oklahoma; Associate
Professor of Periodontics, University of Missouri-Kansas City; Associate Dean for Research,
Associate Dean for Academic Planning and Faculty Development, Director of Dental
Education and Research Center, University of Louisville School of Dentistry; former Mentor,
American Dental Education Association; former Chair, American Dental Education Association
Women’s Advisory and Legislative Advisory Committees

DIplOmAtE
American Board of Periodontology
FEllOW
American College of Dentists, International College
of Dentists, Pierre Fauchard Academy, Executive
Leadership Academic Medicine Program
> 2011 Woman of Distinction Award, Girl Scouts of
Historic Georgia
> 2013 Commencement Speaker, Caruth School of
Dental Hygiene n

DEAN CONNIE DRISKO
“Dr. Drisko’s service has been
exemplary by any standard, and
her leadership supporting the
development and construction
of a state-of-the-art new
building will ensure her legacy
for generations to come.”
GRU PRESiDEnT RiCARDo Azziz

“I admire and respect our
Dean. She is a self-determined
sovereign moral agent who
gracefully made a plan,
visualized her achievement,
worked very hard and defined
her end point. We have a
beautiful dental school and a
promising future, thanks to her
extraordinary dedication. No
better role model than that!”
DR. JAmIE A. DE StEFANO, ASSIStANt
pROFESSOR OF pERIODONtICS

Editor’s note: Following are thoughts, observations and

“Connie is the most effective Dean that I have ever had the
pleasure of working for. She is warm, caring and generous of
spirit, all the while being a decisive leader.”
DR. ChRIStOphER W. CutlER, pROFESSOR AND ChAIR OF pERIODONtICS

“Dean Drisko was at the helm during a historic time
for dentistry in Georgia. She had a mission and she
accomplished it. I am happy that I was on the team to
participate and witness this momentous accomplishment.”
DR. lEON ARONSON, ASSOCIAtE pROFESSOR OF ORthODONtICS
AND pRESIDENt, INtERNAtIONAl COllEgE OF DENtIStS

“I was on the Dean’s Search Committee when we
recruited Dr. Drisko. In my opinion, she was the
right person at the right time for the right job. She
was largely responsible for persuading [former MCG
President Daniel] Rahn, the Georgia Regents and the
legislature that we needed a new larger College of
Dental Medicine to support training more dentists
to deliver dental care to Georgians. We will always
be indebted to her for giving so much of her time to
serving the CDM. Thanks, Connie.”
DR. DAVID pAShlEY, EmERItuS REgENtS

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

AUGUSTA

pROFESSOR OF ORAl BIOlOgY

20

anecdotes about College of Dental Medicine Dean Connie Drisko as she prepares to conclude her tenure as Dean, a position she has held since 2003.

“I was attracted to GRU because of Dr. Drisko’s leadership and her
vision for the dental school. The results are beyond my most optimistic
expectations. Dr. Drisko is leaving an exceptional legacy with the most
dedicated faculty team and staff who provide an absolute first-class
education to the dental students, and we now have the most beautiful
dental school facility in the country.”
DR. gERARD J. ChIChE, thOmAS p. hINmAN ENDOWED ChAIR OF REStORAtIVE
DENtIStRY AND DIRECtOR, CENtER FOR ESthEtIC AND ImplANt DENtIStRY

“Dr. Drisko is one of those very rare leaders
with the ability to balance the needs of the
individual with the mission and goals of a large
organization. Her energy and selfless concern
for others are quickly evident to everyone
she meets. In this often pessimistic world, her
many accomplishments are solid proof that a
positive approach to life and our fellow human
beings is still valid and very worthwhile.”

“I am proud of being
present during the
development of the old
and the new dental schools.
Dr. Drisko’s leadership in
developing a second-tonone new school is deeply
appreciated. Her legacy will
remain forever.”

The studies, whose
funding sources
include the national
institutes of Health,
private companies and
intramural grants, are:

necessary approvals for studies
conducted within the research
center.”
The center was the brainchild of
Dean Connie Drisko, who included
it in the design of the dental
building. Previously, researchers
in the College of Dental Medicine
conducted studies in their spare
time and in various locations.
The center has formalized the
process by centralizing all clinical
research and offering researchers
administrative support.
For instance, the center assists
researchers with administrative
details such as Institutional Review
Board submission; develops cost
analysis for the clinic operations;
supports budget negotiations
with sponsors and principal
investigators; and aids with subject
recruitment, patient care and
reporting, Susin said.
The goal, he said, is to create
a culture of research, identifying
new research areas, funding and
sponsors. “Unless you have a
culture of research, it’s really hard
for us to do clinical research. We

have to be able to attract the best
and the brightest. We have to be
able to give them the time, right
environment and appropriate
incentives so that they thrive doing
research,” Susin said.
Currently, the center has four
clinical studies, and Susin hopes
to add more and diversify the
areas of research in the future. The
ongoing studies are exploring dry
mouth, oral health/systemic health
and peri-implantitis, with several
being the first of their kind.
“We are fortunate to have all
these studies going on already
in such a short period of time.
Most research centers start with
nothing. We started with four,”
Susin said. “Clinical research,
or what we call nowadays
translational research, is one
of the most important things if
you want to bring all the basic
knowledge that we are trying to
create in the lab to the patient. The
only way you can really learn the
true impact of your discoveries
is by conducting clinical and
translational research.”

Medicine has unveiled a Center for
Clinical & Translational Craniofacial
Research to advance its growing
emphasis on research.
The center will bridge basic
science research and clinical
applications, said Dr. Cristiano
Susin, Director. The 3,500-squarefoot facility on the fourth floor of
the College of Dental Medicine
building contains four dental
operatories, two surgical suites,
a small dental laboratory, a
phlebotomy room, interview
rooms, processing/secure storage
space for biological samples and
files, a large reception area and
offices.
“Our mission is to promote and
support clinical and translational
research within the College of
Dental Medicine,” Susin said.
“We strive to provide the ideal
environment for investigators to
perform hypothesis-generating
studies and clinical trials
testing new therapies. We help
researchers and staff to design
clinical studies and obtain the

WORD OF

thE COllEgE of Dental

SPR I N G 2013

Unveiled

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE
AUGUSTA
GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

gREEN tEA lOZENgES FOR thE mANAgEmENt OF DRY mOuth
DEROSSI began his study two years ago in
partnership with Dr. Stephen Hsu, Professor
of Oral Biology. DeRossi developed a
randomized, double-blind clinical trial, funded
by the International Association of Dental
Research’s Innovation in Oral Care Award, one
of three international awards sponsored by
GlaxoSmithKline. This study is the only one of
its kind in the United States, he said.
“Our study is really true translational
research, in my opinion. It started out as
scientific discoveries by Dr. Hsu in oral biology
at a molecular and cellular level,” DeRossi said.
Hsu found that the salivary glands of
laboratory animals with Sjogren’s syndrome, an
autoimmune disease that affects the salivary
glands, showed reduced antioxidant capacity
and oxidative damage.
“Our assumption was that this oxidative
damage reduced antioxidant capacity, which
is associated with the inflammation that we
see in patients with dry mouth,” DeRossi said.
“Our group was able to develop an all-natural
formulation of a product that includes xylitol
and green tea polyphenols to determine how
effective this would be to treat patients with
dry mouth.”
The study has enrolled 50 patients with
dry mouth and will enroll 10 more. Patients
participate for eight weeks, visiting the
research center four times for oral exams and
saliva collection. The patients also consume
lozenges with green tea polyphenols four to
six times a day.
“We’re following them to determine if
they get increased function of their glands
and if they have improved quality of life,”
DeRossi said.
Dry mouth affects 65 percent of the
elderly in the United States. Causes include
medications, cancer therapies, Sjogren’s
syndrome and other diseases such as
diabetes, liver disease and kidney disease.

DR. SCOtt DEROSSI, ChAIR OF ORAl hEAlth
AND DIAgNOStIC SCIENCES

24

SPR I N G 2013

DR. ChRIStOphER CutlER,
ChAIR OF pERIODONtICS

patients with periodontitis have an
abnormally high number of dendritic
cells, or white blood cells that signal
the immune system of danger—a
phenomenon he documented in
a recent edition of the “Journal
of Immunology.” Funded by the
National Institute of Dental and
Craniofacial Research, the study
will include 25 participants with
periodontitis.
Half will receive a combination of
short-term, high-dosage antibiotics
and the others will be observed as
a control group. Cutler hopes the
antibiotics will normalize the volume
of dendritic cells, particularly after
a deep dental cleaning. Assisted
by several periodontal graduate
students and research assistant
Angela Steen, he will continue

collecting data and samples for one
to two years.
“This is definitely a unique
study,” Cutler said. “Other studies
have looked at antibiotics and their
effects on periodontal disease. This
is the first study that has specifically
looked at the ability of antibiotics to
prevent a response of dendritic cells
in the bloodstream. It may offer clues
on how to prevent other diseases
involving the loss of homeostasis
of the dendritic cells. If these cells
overly respond, they can cause
autoimmune disease.”
His study also has implications for
heart disease. Cutler hypothesizes
that bacteria in the bloodstream
cause the dendritic cells to multiply
abnormally and travel to places
where they shouldn’t, such as the
linings of the coronary arteries rather

25

than lymph nodes.
“There have been numerous
epidemiologic studies that have
shown that if you have chronic
periodontitis, you’re at about a
30 percent higher risk of having
cardiovascular disease,” Cutler said.
“The most biologically plausible
mechanism based on multiple clinical
trials is bacteremia. When you have
periodontal disease, or gum disease,
small numbers of bacteria get into
your bloodstream on a daily basis.”
Bacteria have been found in the
coronary artery plaques in people
who have died from heart attacks.
These patients also had periodontal
disease, he said.
Cutler is also collaborating with
researchers at Boston University on a
similar study in mice.

WORD OF

CutlER is determining why

MOUTH

pERIphERAl BlOOD DENDRItIC CEllS AND pERIODONtItIS

WIKESJö’S WORK—part of an international
multi-center study--is evaluating whether a local
antimicrobial delivery system, already used to
treat inflammation around teeth, can remedy
inflammation around dental implants.
The powdery, antimicrobial product is applied
to gum pockets that have developed inflammation
around the implant. The study will determine if the
product will reduce the microbial load in the gum
pocket, resolving the inflammatory process.
“If the inflammatory process is allowed to
progress, this could affect not only the soft tissues
around the implant, but also the bone that is
anchoring the implant. The bone will then resorb
and eventually the implant can be lost because of
bone loss or peri-implantitis,” Wikesjö said.

The study will screen several hundred patients,
or 20 per study site. Wikesjö started enrolling
patients last fall.
Wikesjö compares jaw bone to a wooden 2X4
and a dental implant to a screw. Termites, which
are comparable to the inflammatory process,
will attack a 2X4 and eat the wood around the
screw, eventually loosening it. “Implants cost
thousands of dollars. It’s a fairly large investment
for a person. To lose an implant is a devastating
and costly experience. It’s a process that sneaks
up on you,” Wikesjö said. “This is going to be
something that future dentists will need to pay
a lot of attention to. Peri-implantitis affects 30
percent of the patients with dental implants. It’s
very common.”

27

SPR I N G 2013

thIS NAtIONAl multi-center study is the first clinical study of
its kind examining risk factors for peri-implantitis. Funded by Nobel
Biocare, the GRU team, in addition to Krishna, includes Wikesjö, Susin,
and Dr. Jamie DeStefano, GRU Assistant Professor of Periodontics.
“We do not currently have reliable means of treating dental
implant infections,” said Krishna. “Our study is assessing people
with infections around these implants after three to five years of
placement and studying the risk factors that may increase their
chances of having a dental implant infection.”
The study will compare 78 patients with healthy implants to 78
with infection around implants placed three to five years ago. Krishna
and her team will administer patient questionnaires; perform dental
exams and X-rays; and collect blood, gingival crevicular fluid and
plaque samples for immunological testing, microbiology assessment
and genetics testing. They will gather information about the patient’s
demographics, systemic health, habits and behaviors, genetics and
any contributory local factors, enabling them to determine risk
factors that could lead to infections around implants. The study
should help dentists predict if their patients are good candidates for
dental implants.
“The goal is to prevent these infections. Infections around dental
implants progress much faster than around natural teeth,” Krishna
said.
Krishna plans a follow-up study treating subjects with periimplantitis with different modalities. n

MOUTH

“The goal is to
prevent these
infections.
Infections around
dental implants
progress much
faster than around
natural teeth.”

RISK FACtORS FOR pERI-ImplANtItIS

WORD OF

DR. RANJIthA KRIShNA,
ASSIStANt pROFESSOR
OF pERIODONtICS

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

teamwork

Inter-Professional Education Prepares Students
for Multidisciplinary Collaboration
SEVERAl hOuRS each month, a small
group of dental and other health care
students from across campus convene
to learn about other professions and
practice for real-world health care.
Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re volunteers for a pilot program
at Georgia Regents University called
Inter-Professional Education. Still in its
inaugural year, IPE is a campuswide
initiative to teach students how to
communicate effectively with other
health care professionals and empower
them to assess their patients holistically.
The College of Dental Medicine expects
about 60 dental students to participate

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

AUGUSTA

BY LaTinA EmERSon

28

during the programâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s
pilot year, said
DR. mAhmOOD S.
mOZAFFARI, GRU
Oral Biology Professor
and College of Dental
Medicine IPE Faculty
Representative.
During a recent IPE session, 10
students gathered around a table with
a faculty moderator to explain their
course of study and what they can offer
professionally to their peers. The group
included two senior dental students,
along with medical, nursing and physician

patients’ needs. Based on the
World Health Organization’s
definition, IPE occurs when
students from two or more
professions come together to
learn about, from and with each
other with the ultimate goal of
improving health care delivery
and outcomes, Mozaffari said.
“The irony of the whole thing
is that when they graduate, they
are expected to communicate
with one another. They’re
expected to collaborate, but
interestingly, while they’re on
campus for four years, there is
almost no communication. I’m
surprised that IPE has not been
implemented earlier,” Mozaffari
said.
A committee of faculty
members from the College

faculty. They would also like
to include other health care
disciplines.
“Ultimately, the idea is that
IPE activity would be something
that every student coming
through each program will have
to go through and experience,”
Mozaffari said.
The J. Harold Harrison, M.D.
Education Commons will provide
the perfect IPE setting because
it will house both dental and
medical students, said Dr. Carol
Lefebvre, Vice Dean and GRU
Professor of Oral Rehabilitation
and Oral Biology.
The IPE initiative isn’t only
benefiting students. During
a recent faculty retreat, the
College of Dental Medicine
faculty learned about IPE,

29

DR. CAROl lEFEBVRE
responded to a questionnaire
about other health care
professions and discussed cases
together.
“It was really interesting
because the perception of some
of our professional colleagues of
dentistry, which is an eight-year
program, was that you complete
four years after high school and
you’re a dentist,” Lefebvre said.
“We had to answer questions
about nurse practitioners and
nurse anesthetists, and we didn’t
have a good appreciation of
what they do either. We learned
how much we really didn’t know
about our colleagues here on
campus. All the more reason to
implement IPE at GRU.” n

MOUTH

of Dental
Medicine,
Medical
College of
Georgia,
College of
Allied Health
Sciences and College of Nursing
began meeting last spring
and implemented the IPE pilot
program last summer. Students
volunteer for the five-hour
commitment, which includes an
online pre-simulation activity, a
three-hour session with peers
and an online post-simulation
activity. The case selected for the
three-hour session is designed to
incorporate as many students as
possible from the group.
As the initiative moves
forward, the committee must
determine how to incorporate
larger groups of students and

SPR I N G 2013

“We learned how much we really
didn’t know about our colleagues
here on campus. All the more
reason to implement IPE at GRU.”

WORD OF

assistant students. Though they
will one day be required to work
together in health care settings,
this was the first opportunity for
most of them to interact with
peers from other disciplines.
After the discussion, the
group made a list of goals and
characteristics of a successful
interprofessional team, then
worked in groups to treat a
“patient” in a simulation lab.
While one group worked in
the lab, the other remained in
the conference room to watch
their interaction on a screen.
Instead of being evaluated on
clinical skills, the students were
observed for their ability to work
together effectively. Overall, the
students performed well, but
they also realized they had some
things to learn about working
together.
“It’s really an educational
experience to be able to
understand the roles that
everyone has, at least in this
room, and how we can all tie
everything together,” said senior
dental student Dustin Kilby. “It’s
going to be neat to see what
kind of treatment plan we come
up with here and how we handle
this case.”
Matt Smith, also a senior
dental student, appreciated the
chance to see firsthand the roles
that other professions play in
patient care.
“It’s a great learning
experience to learn more about
what other people do,” Smith
said.
GRU’s IPE initiative started
at the request of the university’s
senior leadership and was
embraced by Dean Connie L.
Drisko. The concept of IPE,
now accepted nationwide and
abroad, has become increasingly
popular following an Institute
of Medicine report noting that a
siloed approach to health care
education is inadequate to meet

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

Pounding the pavement
Students Set Standard in Half Marathon

BY ADRiAn GREER

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

AUGUSTA

Editor’s note:
As successful as Augusta’s half-marathon
was, we somberly acknowledge that this
edition of Word of Mouth went to press
amid reports of the Boston Marathon
tragedy. The College of Dental Medicine
extends its most heartfelt sympathy to
victims of the bombings. The university will
soon publish accounts of members of the
GRU community affected by the tragedy.

GRU COLLEGE OF DENTAL MEDICINE
STUDENTS STEWART HELTON AND
BRIDGET LYONS FINISHED FIRST IN
THEIR RESPECTIVE CLASSES IN THE
AUGUSTA HALF MARATHON.

National Championships and the
USA Championships. She planned
to run in the Olympic trials but was
sidelined by a knee injury.
“That is my goal now,” she said. “I
want to try the Olympic Trials in 2016
in the marathon.”
Based on past performance, the
goal—requiring a one-hour, 15-minute
qualifying time—is within reach.
Lyons won last year’s Augusta Half
Marathon with a time of one hour
18 minutes on a course that is quite
difficult.
But for now, Helton and Lyons are
focused on dental school. They both
hope to open their own practices one
day.
“I always liked the idea of building
relationships with patients, and I
think dentists often form very strong
relationships,” Helton said. “I also
want to focus on the community and
promoting oral health.”
Lyons became interested in
dentistry while volunteering at a
clinic in Athens as an undergraduate.
“They needed a Spanish translator
in the dental clinic and I just loved it,”
she said. “After that, I wanted to go
to dental school.”
They both plan to continue
running after graduation.
“I will probably be out there every
day, early in the morning before I see
my first patient,” Helton said with a
smile. n

MOUTH

and to the showers to be in class
by 8 a.m. And then it’s a full day of
school.” But he said he wouldn’t have
it any other way.
Lyons’ workout schedule is
very similar, running eight to 10
miles every day and a 15-mile run
on weekends, which is when she
sometimes runs with Helton.
“I love it; I feel like it’s who I am,”
Helton said. “But school still has to
come first.”
Helton likes the convenience and
feel-good factor of running.
“I like how I can do it all my life
and it’s something that’s healthy,” he
said. “All you need is a pair of shoes,
and I always try to keep a pair in the
car.”
Helton has been running for 10
years and was on the high school
team in northern Atlanta. He was
one of the better three-mile runners
in the state in Division II while
at Columbus State University in
Columbus, Ga.
“I qualified for the national meet
in cross country twice (at Columbus
State),” he said. “I ranked as high as
12th in the nation in Division II in the
10K.”
Lyons, a native of Evans, Ga.,
attended Greenbrier High School,
then ran track at the University
of Georgia where she won the
SEC Championship in the 10K
and finished second two times in
the 5K. She also ran at the NCAA

WORD OF

tWO gRu College of Dental
Medicine students won the GRU
Augusta Half Marathon on Feb. 24,
which makes you wonder: What
exactly are they putting in the water
in the College of Dental Medicine?
Stewart Helton won the race with
a time of 1:14.46, nearly three minutes
faster than second-place finisher
William Rudisill. Bridget Lyons was
the top-finishing woman and third
overall, with a time of 1:20.23. Both
winners are in the class of 2015 at the
college and they even have classes
together.
“It’s not a graduation requirement
that you have to run before class,”
Lyons said with a smile when asked
about why the top-two finishers
come from the same class. “It’s just a
coincidence.”
But Lyons and Helton do train
together sometimes on the weekend,
and Lyons isn’t afraid to push the
pace, according to Helton.
“I feel like she’s pounding me into
the pavement most days,” he said
with a smile. “She is very competitive;
some people are afraid to run with
her.”
But it appears that the friendly
competition has paid off.
Helton said he was excited to win
and thought he could have a chance.
The 13.1-mile event was comparable
to Helton’s normal weekend runs,
which are often 15 miles, and Helton
runs about nine miles every day. But
he did pick up the pace a bit for the
Half Marathon.
“I usually run miles in around
seven minutes when working out, but
I was hoping to average in the five
minutes and 40 seconds [range] and
go for the win,” he said. “I averaged
about 5:42 in the race, and it was a
very tough course, very hilly.”
Helton and Lyons were both sore
for a few days afterward but were
back running two days later.
Said Helton, “I get up at about
5:30 a.m. and go for a run with a
friend, then I have to make it back

“My goal
is to make dentistry
even better.”
ensure diversity. This year’s topranked senior will be one of our
residents next year. We routinely
get the cream of the crop.”
Pruett maximizes the impact of
teaching by videotaping “demo”
surgeries. Students and residents
observe the surgeries in real
time from a conference room,
asking questions and otherwise
interacting with Pruett as he
proceeds.
He also co-directs an annual
five-day dental implant course,

the award in the past, and they’re
people I’ve always emulated,”
Pruett says.
He is also grateful to Dean
Connie Drisko. “When Dr. Drisko
arrived, she said no space was
sacred, so if we could grow our
programs, she would allow us to
grow,” he says, noting that his
clinic has grown from three to 19
chairs since he joined the faculty
in 1998. “Without her support,
that kind of growth wouldn’t have
been possible.

33

“I have the utmost respect for
Dr. Drisko; her accomplishments
have been tremendous,” he says. “I
think the opportunities for growth
here are awesome.”
He never loses sight of the
fact that he is living a dream that
took root in second grade. He
maintained his focus even amid
the crushing blow of losing his
mother to an aneurysm when
he was just 16. She had always
cheered him on, and he continued
to draw from her inspiration even
after her death. “I’m the first
professional in my family,” he says.
Daughter Morgan is a GRU
student, and younger daughters
Kylie and Anna Claire show
amazing potential in fields
including art and athletics, he says
proudly. He and his wife Candy,
a pharmacist, have tried hard to
instill in their children a love of
service, as well as a strong work
ethic.
That work ethic comes in
handy, considering Pruett has
two practices in small Georgia
cities in addition to his GRU
service. He and a colleague own
an airplane, which Pruett flies, to
handle the logistics. He is also
active in the College of Dental
Medicine’s Alumni Association—
another priority he tries to instill
in students. “I can only hope to
help those in my class and those
coming behind us by being active
in the Alumni Association,” he
says. “My goal is to make dentistry
even better.” n

SPR I N G 2013

drawing dentists nationwide for
extensive hands-on continuing
education. “The participants
place 12 to 20 implants each, for
a total of about 150 for the week,”
he says, noting that the course
also benefits patients by offering
discounted rates. “I really like
interacting with my colleagues
in continuing education. It’s so
fulfilling to teach people how to
do something, then watch them
master it. The success is like being
a parent. I get as excited as they
do.”
He is flattered that several
of his residents and colleagues
nominated him for the
Distinguished Alumnus Award.
“It’s incredibly humbling, because I
look back at people who received

MOUTH

“My interest is in giving back
to the profession,” says Pruett,
Assistant Professor of Oral
Rehabilitation, a 1992 College of
Dental Medicine graduate and
the college’s 2013 Distinguished
Alumnus. “By teaching and
influencing the dentists of
tomorrow, the benefits to our
profession and our patients
increase.”
By almost any standard,
he is an incredibly prolific and
influential teacher. He directs
the college’s General Practice
Residency program, “one of the
most successful in the country,”
he says proudly. “We train nine
residents a year, about half from
GRU and the other half from
different areas of the country to

WORD OF

s

DR. mIChAEl pRuEtt is very gratified to know that when he
treats a patient, the patient benefits.
But when he teaches the same procedure to students or
colleagues, his gratification grows exponentially—because the
beneficiaries grow exponentially.

standing-room-only groundbreaking ceremony.
“We would not be here today if he was not imbued
with the motivation to make life better through
medicine.”
President Ricardo Azziz concurred. “Harold
Harrison was a true friend and a true visionary
who recognized his gift would change the shape
of health care in Georgia,” he said, citing the
importance of the building in increasing the class
sizes of GRU’s College of Dental Medicine and
Medical College of Georgia to meet the workforce
needs of the state.
The 172,000-square-foot building will include
ample classroom space for both colleges, two 300seat auditoriums, an interprofessional simulation
center and much more. The total construction cost
is $76.5 million. The state of Georgia is providing $42
million in bond funding, and the university raised the
additional $34.5 million through private philanthropy,
including an $8 million gift from the Robert W.
Woodruff Foundation, which supports charitable,
scientific and educational activities.
“Without our donors,” said College of Dental
Medicine Dean Connie Drisko, “we wouldn’t be in the
envious place we are now, looking at our beautiful

35

MOUTH

as a country boy done good, Dr. J. Harold Harrison
never forgot his roots.
But he sowed seeds for the future as well—both
literally and figuratively. After the 1948 Medical
College of Georgia alumnus retired from a 50year career as a vascular surgeon characterized
by pioneering advances in repairing and replacing
diseased arteries, he returned to his rural roots by
embarking on a second career as a cattle farmer in
Bartow, Ga. And while he was at it, Harrison ensured
that the fruits of his labor would reap rewards for
generations to come.
“His legacy is that those who follow will have the
same opportunities he did,” Harrison’s stepson, Scott
Fitzgerald, said during the Nov. 28 groundbreaking
ceremony of the J. Harold Harrison, M.D. Education
Commons.
The facility, scheduled to open by fall 2014
adjacent to the new College of Dental Medicine
building, honors Harrison, who died June 2, based
on a $10 million leadership gift from him and his
wife, Sue W. Harrison.
“His gift will help young minds and bring about
good,” his friend, Loran Smith, said during the

WORD OF

ChARACtERIZINg himself throughout his life

SPR I N G 2013

Ceremony Honors ‘Larger-than-Life’ Alumnus

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE
GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

AUGUSTA

new dental school and envisioning the
building that will arise from this ground.”
Donor support has never been more
important than it is now, said University
System of Georgia Chancellor Hank
Huckaby. “The Harrisons epitomize the
kind of community concern and support
that we’re looking to in the years ahead.
What we’re here to do today is recognize
another milestone for this university and
its future development, but even more so
for the future development of the state of
Georgia.”
The importance of the building in
accelerating the growth of GRU and
ensuring its national prominence,
particularly after consolidation this
January, has not gone unnoticed by key
constituents, the speakers said.
“This is a special day,” said Georgia
Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle. “What it really
culminates is the investment the
state continues to make in this great
community. We know this university will
continue to be elevated in a national
platform.”
The Augusta community will benefit
from the investment for years to come,
he said. “We want to continue to make
strategic investments in Augusta because
we know what it means. I look forward

mCg ClASS OF 2015 pRESIDENt lAEl REINStAtlER AND
COllEgE OF DENtAl mEDICINE ClASS OF 2013 pRESIDENt
BEN pOpplE
to the exciting things that are going to
happen in this great city.”
Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver
agreed. “This represents what can happen
when people dream big and are willing

36

to work together to make something
happen,” he said. “We are once again
at a transitional moment for the city of
Augusta and I am so excited to see the
shape of things to come.”
MCG Dean Peter Buckley shared his
excitement about what the new facility
will mean for the university’s students.
“The enthusiasm you see here today is
infectious,” said Buckley, who along with
Drisko was flanked by dozens of medical
and dental students clad in their white
coats. “People in Georgia are interested
in signing on here for their training. We
appreciate all the efforts that have gone
into our future, and we will deliver on that
promise.”
Drisko particularly lauded the futureoriented mindset of those who planned
the building. “One of the toughest
things was to envision not what health
care will look like tomorrow, but 30,
40, even 50 years from now,” she said.
“Interprofessional education, or IPE, will
become the norm on this campus, thanks
to this building.”
“The commons meets a very real
need, enabling MCG and the College of
Dental Medicine to train the health care
professionals of the 21st century,” echoed
Georgia Health Sciences Foundation
Board Member Will McKnight.
Student representatives at the
ceremony shared their gratitude for this
investment not only in their educations,
but the educations of many generations
of health care providers to come.
“Students at our institution are
supported like no other students,” said
College of Dental Medicine Class of 2013
President Ben Popple. “The state of
Georgia has blessed us with some of the
best facilities in the country. This building
creates a learning environment that not
only optimizes dental education, but
allows us to share ideas with our fellow
students in medicine.”
MCG Class of 2015 President Lael
Reinstatler agreed. “With the new
building, our faculty and students now
have the ability to compete on a national
level,” she said, noting that classroom
space is currently dispersed all over
campus. “Of all the things that we are
thankful for most, finally having a home is

rewards; enjoy its small delights. To
me, that sums up Harold.”
MCG Foundation President and
CEO James B. Osborne, describing
Harrison as exceedingly modest
yet “larger than life,” said, “This
building will be a lasting tribute to
an extraordinary man.”
Nothing could be more fitting,
Osborne noted, than to tangibly
express Harrison’s stalwart support
of his beloved alma mater. “I
remember him saying, ‘I am so
proud of MCG because they took
a country boy and made a doctor
out of him.”

Fitzgerald, whose tribute to his
stepfather included lavish praise
for the role of his mother, Sue, said
Harrison was a man “of conviction
and tremendous heart. He never
pretended to be something he
wasn’t. He was one of the most
genuine people I’ve ever known
and was very comfortable in his
own skin.”
He was also perhaps the world’s
most dogged Georgia Bulldogs
fan. “I wish he was here to watch
[the Bulldogs’ next game],”
Fitzgerald said. “But then again, he
has a much better view.” n

DEAN CONNIE DRISKO
37

WORD OF

“Without our donors we
wouldn’t be in the envious
place we are now, looking at
our beautiful new dental school
and envisioning the building
that will arise from this ground.”

MOUTH

SPR I N G 2013

what matters most.”
But for all of the talk of a hightech facility, the prevailing mood
at the groundbreaking reflected
Harrison’s legacy of down-to-earth
altruism.
“Away from the operating
room,” Smith said, “I find it uplifting
that he loved being down on the
farm. His work included surgery
and corn on the cob, both done by
his own hands.”
Smith counseled the audience
to follow Harrison’s lead of keen
appreciation for the simple things
in life. “Don’t fret about life’s great

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

BY LaTinA EmERSon

meeting the Need
Donors Make Difference at
College of Dental Medicine

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

AUGUSTA

thREE RECENt gIFtS from donors are
making a huge difference in the lives of
students and patients at the College of
Dental Medicine.
The gifts include $250,000 from the
Hinman Dental Society, a $10,000 grant
to the Give a Smile Foundation and a
$600,000 charitable remainder trust from
a non-alumnus who wishes to remain
anonymous.

38

The Hinman Dental Society has become
the most generous organizational donor in the
history of the College of Dental Medicine, said
Dean Connie Drisko. The group has given more
than $1 million, which has been used primarily
toward scholarships.
The society’s latest donation will fund
an endowment for educational programs
associated with the dental school’s Thomas P.
Hinman Center for Lifelong Learning. It is the
first and largest endowment of its kind for the
College of Dental Medicine, Drisko said.
“They’re tremendous friends of the school.
They do things for faculty and students alike.
They’re just tremendous supporters of the
educational process and continuing educational
process of dental health professionals. We’re just
very pleased to have them favor us with their
support,” Drisko said.
The society, founded by a longtime Atlanta
dentist who is now deceased, has more than
800 dentist members statewide. Its annual
meeting attracts nearly 23,000 dentists and
dental professionals each year. The organization
is committed to the lifelong education of
dentists and sponsors one of the top continuing
dental education programs in the country.
“Hinman is honored to be in a position to
provide $250,000 to support educational
programs at the school’s Hinman Center for
Lifelong Learning,” said Dr. Bill Schroeder,
Chair of the Hinman Dental Society Trustees.
“Our mission as an organization is to support
dental education, and the success of the annual
Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting allows us to
contribute in a significant way to programs such
as these.
“Continuing education was Dr. Hinman’s
life’s work, and if he were alive today, he would
be proud that the organization he founded
has continued to support lifelong learning,” Dr.
Schroeder added. “In addition, the fact that this
center is located in Georgia at a school where
many Hinman member dentists graduate would
please him greatly. Over the years, Hinman has
contributed more than $1 million to the College
of Dental Medicine at GRU and this has included
numerous scholarships awarded to students
at the school spanning the last 26 years. We
believe it’s important to support students as
they truly are the future of the dental profession.
We will continue to support the only dental

Society has given more money
than any similar entity to the
college. They fund our largest
scholarships. Every year, they give
three full-tuition scholarships,
which total about $75,000.”
DEAN CONNIE DRISKO

39

MOUTH

“Collectively, the Hinman Dental

WORD OF

school in Georgia and look forward to
seeing these future dentists practice
throughout our great state.”
In 1986, the society created a
scholarship program for dental students
based on need and performance. Dental
hygiene students were added in 1989
and laboratory technician students in
2003. In 2005, the society funded an
endowed chair at the Medical College
of Georgia School of Dentistry, now the
GRU College of Dental Medicine, and
added scholarships for dental assisting
students.
Over the past 13 years, the society
has contributed nearly $6 million in
scholarships and large gifts in support of
dental education nationwide.
The $10,000 gift to GRU’s Give a
Smile Foundation comes from Delta
Dental, America’s largest dental benefits
carrier. The foundation, comprised of
35 students from the College of Dental
Medicine, was formed about five years
ago by students who were frustrated
that some of their patients couldn’t
afford the treatment they needed.
Students with patients who can’t afford
their basic care can present the need to
the foundation committee and ask for up
to $1,000 in financial assistance. Patients
are asked to pay for some portion of
their treatment.
“We’re completely anonymous, so
our patients don’t know about us,” said
Wendy Cardenas, a senior dental student
and President of the foundation. “We just
tell our patients that we found a grant
for them. It’s mainly for patients who
don’t have some type of financial help
already. We’re looking for people who
are working, trying to get by and need
a couple of fillings, which is a couple
hundred dollars, and they can’t afford
that. At the dental school, a lot of the
treatment is highly reduced, but still
some of the patients can’t afford just a
basic exam.”
The Delta Dental gift, she said, will
ensure access to basic dental care for
even more needy citizens. n

SPR I N G 2013

DEVElOpmENt

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE

Mobile

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

AUGUSTA

GRU mobile provides our students
and faculty with the services and
content they require â&#x20AC;&#x201D; delivered
when they want, where they want
it and how they want it.

iPhone &
iPod Touch

feature
ATHLETiCS

mAPS

Services such as a map, directory,
events, course listing and other
features keep you connected to
the university whether you are
on campus or a world away using
your mobile device.

DiRECToRy

EvEnTS

nEWS

imAGES

The future of GRU Mobile is the
ability to deliver instruction and
relevant content using mobile
devices. The iSCOPE application
provides a glimpse into the future
of multimedia-rich content we
will build upon to create a vast
repository of instructional materials
and references for our students. n

viDEoS

GET HELP
PATiEnT &
fAmiLy
CEnTERED
CARE
mEDiCAL
APPLiCATionS SUiTE

40

iPad

Android

COLLEGE of DENTAL MEDICINE
OuR mISSION:
To educate dentists in
order to improve overall
health and to reduce the
burden of illness on society
through the discovery and
application of knowledge
that embraces craniofacial
health and disease
prevention.

DAY OF SERVICE
DR. KEVIN FRAZIER and pROVOSt
gREtChEN CAughmAN were among the
faculty, staff, students, and family members
(including 57 members of the College of Dental
Medicine community) who participated in

GRUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inaugural Day of Service Feb. 9.
The volunteers rolled up their sleeves for
charitable organizations throughout the
Augusta area.